A New Year in the desert
After leaving Southern California, we made our way all the way to the Phoenix area where we originally planned to stay the work week at Buckeye Regional Park. Instead, we continued on, turning south. Ajo, Arizona was our new destination and we made it just before sunset after a full day of driving. We setup camp and took a few minutes to enjoy the sunset, a meal, and were quickly snoozing the night away.
Unfortunately, Byron (Kerri’s dog, just in case you didn’t know) had been going through something that, even now, we do not understand. The poor old guy was in pain and would not eat or play ball – very unlike Byron. So, Kerri made the decision to relocate closer to a major metro area – Phoenix – so he can go to a vet. By the end of the next work day, we had packed up and moved back up to Buckeye Regional Park (only a few short minutes outside the metro area). Bryon had appointments scheduled for the following days, but in the end the vet did not find anything wrong with Byron who had no lasting effects from the unknown issue.
During our half-week there, Kerri stumbled on a group of friends gathered near the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge not far outside of Quartszite. Well heck, that is only a few hours away, even if it is yet another major backtrack. Let’s go! By the end of the week we relocated to Kofa to spend the new year weekend with friends – some we have not seen since last new years. The size of the gathering was just perfect at only a dozen families or so.
With my back feeling better, Kerri and I drove up the road to take the short 1 mile hike up Palm Canyon. Moose and Byron were able to join us for the adventure. And as we did at Borrego in 2015, New Years eve turned into a potluck dinner where we all gathered together to eat and drink. Stories were shared, drone group-shots were taken, and a lot of laughing took place. Yes, this was definitely the type of meetings that I look forward too on the road.
Kerri and I spent most of the first day of the year indoors. Kerri getting over a bug, and my re-injured back (thanks to a water run the day before) kept us in bed watching Netflix from under the blankets. Feeling good enough after the day of rest, on Jan 2nd, we made our way back through Phoenix with a quick stop at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (Kerri had never been), then through Tucson, and to the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area which we will call home for the work week.
Wow, you have really been getting around these past couple weeks! Hope your back is doing better.
Yes, we are on the move again. Woohoo!
My back is a lot better this morning. I could even put my socks on without pain.